Smooth, EASY, and full of Thanksgiving flavors, Turkey Gravy is the perfect topping for all of your Thanksgiving dishes!
I’m one of those people who pours gravy on practically every inch of my Thanksgiving plate. Gravy goes on my turkey, on my Mom’s Mashed Potatoes, on my dressing… basically, every dish gets drenched in gravy.
Homemade gravy is one of the best parts of Thanksgiving dinner! This turkey gravy from drippings is as easy as can be. When the gravy is THISÂ good, you’ll be pouring it all over your plate too!
TURKEY GRAVY
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In cooking, there are those age-old combinations that everyone knows. You know, like peanut butter and jelly, salt and pepper, macaroni and cheese.
For me, one of those combos you simply don’t mess with is turkey and gravy. You can’t have one without the other. (You CAN have plain turkey, but do you really WANT to?) Turkey and gravy go together like two peas in a pod and this easy turkey gravy is here to save your Thanksgiving!
Turkey is one of those meats that taste SO much better when it’s paired with a creamy, delicious gravy. But, people are often intimidated by making homemade gravy.
Instead, they reach for the jarred stuff. Don’t get me wrong, it can be good, but the best turkey gravy is homemade turkey gravy from drippings! I’m here to help you to conquer your fears and teach you to make that gravy from scratch.
It is SO simple, SO quick, and SO delicious. Believe me, your entire family will be thanking me for introducing you to this easy turkey gravy recipe!
Ingredients to Make Turkey Gravy
TURKEY BROTH – The key ingredient for a good turkey gravy are those delicious drippings from your cooked turkey. When you’re ready to make your gravy, you need to strain your turkey drippings from the roasting pan.
If you don’t have very much turkey stock from the pan drippings, you can add in some chicken stock or chicken broth. Add enough to reach the 1.5 cups of drippings needed for this gravy recipe.
I recommend using a fat separator so you can separate out all the fats. They’ll rise to the top while the drippings settle. This will also give you a chance to get rid of any stray pieces of turkey that may have fallen off while cooking.
THICKENERS – Butter and cornstarch add thickness and flavor to your turkey gravy! How much cornstarch you add will determine how thick the gravy is. If your gravy gets too thick, add a little more broth until it reaches your desired consistency.
The great thing about this turkey gravy recipe is that it is SUPER quick!
While your cooked turkey is resting, you’ll have plenty of time to mix up some homemade gravy. By the time you finish making your easy turkey gravy, the turkey will be the perfect temperature to serve!
How to Make Turkey Gravy from Drippings
I don’t know why so many people are scared of making their own gravy from scratch. It’s super easy and tastes so much better than the pre-made stuff. If you’ve got a whisk and a pot, you’re all set to whip up a flavorful turkey gravy that will taste amazing! You’ll never buy the pre-made gravy again!
- Start by whisking the cornstarch into room temperature or cooler turkey broth until they are well combined (nobody likes a chunky gravy!!!).
- Next, pour your gravy mixture into a small saucepan over medium heat and whisk.
- As soon as your turkey gravy mixture heats up, usually about 2 minutes, add in the butter and continue to whisk. (Yes, your arms will get a whisking workout from this recipe!)
- Next, bring your gravy to a boil for 2 to 3 minutes, whisking frequently. After boiling, remove it from the heat. Give it a quick taste test and season with salt and pepper to your liking.
- Last, pour your finished turkey gravy into your favorite gravy boat and serve it up!
A word to the wise – don’t fill your gravy boat to the brim. It will cool down before anyone gets to the end of it.
Instead, leave some extra turkey gravy in your saucepan on the LOWEST temperature setting your burners will give you. That way, you can add more warm gravy to the gravy boat as your family uses it up!
Need some more Thanksgiving-inspired side dish recipes?
- Cornbread Dressing with Sausage
- Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
- Instant Pot Turkey Tenderloin
- Roasted Garlic and Cauliflower Soup
- Broccoli Cheddar Mashed Potatoes
- more SIDE DISH recipes…
Tools used to make this Turkey Gravy recipe
Saucepan: I love this stainless steel saucepan – it gets great even heat and the handle says nice and cool.
Fat Separator: I use this as a strainer to get only the best parts of the turkey drippings for gravy.
Gravy Boat: How cute is this?!? I’m going to start making turkey gravy from drippings more often. If for no other reason, so I can use this gravy boat on days other than Thanksgiving!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups turkey broth strained, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Whisk cornstarch into room temperature or cooler turkey broth until well combined.
- Pour mixture into a small saucepan over medium heat and whisk.
- As soon as the mixture heats up, about 2 minutes, add in butter and whisk.
- Bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes, whisking frequently. Then remove from heat. If needed salt & pepper to taste. Serve warm.
Tialyn says
I am always googling recipes for gravy! This is perfect! I normally use flour but you won me over to cornstarch!